


Come what may

by sailorjanny



Category: Figure Skating RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: F/M, Fluff, HELP ME I STILL CAN’T STOP WATCHING MOULIN ROUGE, just give our little bears some light and happy moments please, no drama but I very tried
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 16:36:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14265186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorjanny/pseuds/sailorjanny
Summary: The night after Olympics closing ceremony.





	Come what may

before reading please refresh in memory [VirtueMoir's free skate from Canadian Nationals](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO2xBr5EmSo)

 

Today Olympic Games were closed. 

 

Zhenya pulls out the phone from her pocket to change the track; BTS’s _Blood Sweat & Tears_ flows in her ears bringing sweet memories from the beginning — it was the first song she heard in the first morning in Olympic village. She tries to remember everything by connecting it with music.

 

That morning she began in gym with Alina, and just entering in there she felt a chill - BTS’s song playing out loud gave her the feeling of truly happiness and freedom.

 

_It doesn’t matter if it hurts, make it tighter so I can’t escape —_

  
  
The feast of Olympic Games began.

 

_— hold me tight and shake me so I’ll be unconscious._

  
  
And now it’s all over.

  
  
Sitting in the dark empty lobby she absolutely fades in those feelings and closes her eyes. 

  
  
_Unbelievable. It’s over._  

  
  
She slipped away from the hall full of celebrating skaters who decided to unite after the closing ceremony upstairs and then sat here to think a little.

 

Zhenya adores ice family, but this meeting despite the fun gave her a melancholy mood. She missed it so much after the season she nearly passed off, but the same time she felt unexplainable sadness. She knows only one way to overcome this – favorite music and some loneliness.

 

For a while.

  
  
Katya just smiled at her and nodded when Zhenya whispered to her that she needs to be by herself a little. She always understands her.

  
  
Her head is filled with thoughts. 

  
  
When the song ends, Zhenya opens her eyes and flickers.

  
  
Yuzuru is sitting in the chair across of her with his head tilted to one shoulder. When he sees her awaken from music, he gives her a little smile. She must have made quite a face surprised by his appearance. 

  
  
“You know, this is really creepy”, she stops the next track started to play — it was Martin Garrix’s _Forever_ that ended up closing ceremony today — and pulls out the headphones. “You scared me. How long you’re sitting like this?”

  
  
“Everyone is having fun upstairs and you’re sadly listening to music”, he didn’t reply at her question. “How come?”

  
  
“I was there from the begging and...” she stops herself for a second before continuing. “Felt a little bit sad for real.”

  
  
“Because I wasn’t there?” he jokingly asks.

  
  
“Indeed,” Zhenya rolls her eyes and laughs. “To be honest I just felt so empty when thought that is our last night here.”

 

  
He looks directly at her eyes before saying:

  
  
“That’s why I didn’t want to go downstairs,” his voice sounds lower than before. “I feel so every time after competition.”

  
  
“Because of...?”

  
  
“Because every time it feels like a last time I see everyone,” he waves his hand and smiles awkwardly — it looks like he just said something too private. “I don’t know why. I’m always trying to be ready that someone will leave, and it seems, my brain says to my heart that next time we will not meet already.”

 

Zhenya freezes listening to it. They haven’t those conversations for a long time.

  
  
“Javi and Misha...” she says quietly. The high level of empathy allows her to guess other’s feelings and nearly share them. Yuzuru literally radiates pain by saying it. 

  
  
“Not only Javi and Misha, it could be any skater. Just look at us: who knew we’ll get injured after _the gorgeous winning streak_?” in the end of his phrase she hears irony – he just mocked paper’s headlines staying modest. _So Yuzuru’s._

  
  
“No one.”

  
  
“Yes, _no one did_. Besides, Katya is leaving too, you exactly know what it feels like.”

  
  
“I’ve never thought like this before, to be honest. This is sport, everything could happen, and I try to worry just about the people who are close to me, about my friends. In other case you’ll never have enough mental strength to overcome difficulties you and your friends are facing,” Zhenya pauses. “And Katya is not leaving, she’s taking a break. I hope so.”

  
  
“We’re both thinking too much, I guess,” he leans his cheek upon his hand.

  
  
“Why you came here?” Zhenya asks. “Javi said you’re already in bed.”

  
  
“Misha literally buried me under texts begging to go downstairs, so I decided to forget just for once about these strange thoughts and participate in this improvised banquet. For fun. For myself, Javi, Misha and Shoma who are waiting for me. For you.”

  
“For me?” she asks dubious.

  
  
“I felt you getting depressed from my room. Your sadness covered the building like a cloud.”

 

“Wow, really?”

 

“When I came to hall Misha said you ran somewhere, so I understood that my real destiny for tonight is to save you.”

  
  
“Oh, stop flirting, Yuzu, you know it’s not working to me,” Zhenya laughs. He always knows how to make her laugh, just like she did.

  
  
“I know right.” Zhenya hears nervous laugh in his voice. Thank god the lobby is dark, and Yuzu can’t see her red cheeks.

  
  
“So, you’re gonna spend here the rest of the night? Misha would be very disappointed, he said bring you back at any cost. You know him.”

  
  
Yuzuru stands up, looking at Zhenya with unreadable face. 

  
  
_God, how tall is he._

  
  
“So? Just saying, but Javi’s girlfriend brought him some bottles of sangria from home. You remember, he promised it to us.”

  
  
“Oh jeez, let’s go,” Zhenya smiles and stands up too. “Misha and you are just unbearable, you know.”

  
  
She starts to move fast next to elevator and did two or three steps before seeing that Yuzuru is not following. After their dialogue she feels herself ready to fly away – interaction with Yuzu always is energizing and empowering. When she didn’t hear his light fast steps, she turns back and sees him nearly at the same place, smiling.

  
  
But this smile is completely different. It’s forced.

  
  
“What’s wrong?” Zhenya is confused.

  
  
“Let’s not be rush, okay?” he does a step, then another one and Zhenya gasps. Something inside her trembles with fear.

  
  
“Your foot. Oh my god, I am sorry…”

  
  
“It’s okay, just imagine that we’re taking a slow walk, okay? And by saying that we should return I didn’t meant to run there as fast as we could,” he laughs and Zhenya sighs with relief when the sincere smile gets back on his face. ‘’I really came for you to speak, not only to bring you back to people. We haven’t talk for a long time.”

  
  
Zhenya feels warmness inside her chest.

  
  
“Okay, of course. I can help if you want…”

  
  
“No, no, it’s okay. Just no rush.”

  
  
“No rush,” Zhenya repeats. She carefully follows his expression out of corner of her eye when they enter the elevator.

  
  
Yuzuru presses _13_. The ice family has a fun on the _12th_ floor. Surprised, Zhenya looks at the elevator’s panel, then at Yuzu’s poker face, but says nothing.

  
  
The warmness in her chest is still there like a little light, warming and a little trembling of the Yuzu’s voice and smile. She tries to ignore it for a long time, but their rare meetings became rarer, while at the same time this light is getting bigger and hotter.

  
  
She presses fingers to the palm, forming a fist, and sighs again.

  
  
“Even now you’re trying not to show how it hurts,” Zhenya looks at him with thinly-veiled admiration. “Of course, I should have known. When did you stop taking painkillers?”

  
  
“Before gala.”

  
  
“ _What?!_ You skated yesterday like this?”

  
  
“What? No!” Yuzuru shockingly looks at her. “They worked during the EX, because the last time I took them was at morning, but now came the period… You know… I forgot how it’s in English.”

  
  
“Withdrawal syndrome? And you cross all the stadium today on your feet, you… oh, it’s so horrible.”

  
  
“Of course, I did, I hadn’t Moris to put me on the shoulders, right?” Yuzu teases her. 

  
  
“Hondrej is always ready to lift you, you could just ask him next time” Zhenya counters. 

  
  
He’s trying to stop them talking about it.

_No way, Yuzuru._

__  
  
“Why you stopped so early?”

  
  
“Sooner rather than later. Shh, don’t tell Brian. He would be upset.”

  
  
“Of course he would! You know it’s dangerous.”

  
  
“I know it’s dangerous, _mom._ ” Yuzu smirks. “I swear you, it’s not so bad. I just made the dose much smaller.”

  
  
“If so…”

  
  
Silence falls on them.

  
  
“You always care about us too much. Sometimes I think that you forget about yourself. You’re a good girl, Zhenya-chan. I really appreciate it, though I hate to talk about weakness like this.”

  
  
“Thank you” she smiles. “I could be pretty selfish, you know... You’re too kind.”

  
  
“No, I’m not.” He gives her a soft look before leaving the elevator. Zhenya never saw him like this. Now he moves less quick, without losing any elegance. Every step became smoother, and it could look that he’s just too tired or sleepy from the outside, but Zhenya knows him and his way to move, to talk, to joke too well… For the second she feels terrified.

  
  
_Because every time it feels like a last time I see everyone._

  
  
“Hello, Zhenya-chan. Do you hear me?”

  
  
Zhenya blinks, realizing that Yuzuru said something. The sound of his voice for a few moments became distant and dull.

  
  
“Sorry, I just…”

  
  
“How are you?”

  
  
“Not sad anymore, by the way, thanks to you.” she smirks. “In general… Could be better. Tired, but happy, I guess?”

  
  
“Me too. Can’t believe it’s all over.”

 

Zhenya feels a sudden chill because of the distinct _déjà vu_. Sometimes she thinks that Yuzu can read her mind.

  
  
“Is it? We have the Worlds in month. Not _we_ , of course, you’re not going anywhere with your foot, eh?”

  
  
“And your stress fracture, _eh_? Don’t you think doctors will allow you to participate?”

  
  
“Oh, I could at least walk around without painkillers.”

  
  
“Okay, you got me.”

  
  
They slowly walk through large dark corridor of the 13th floor. Soft violet carpet mutes the sound of footsteps, what makes them almost silent. Ceiling lights are switched off – they reacted on sound of opening elevator when Yuzu and Zhenya came here and then went out. Corridor started and ended by two halls with sofas and TV on the wall – one of halls with elevator and one with exit on the stairs, that also are dark and empty.  

 

By approaching the south hall, they can hear muffled music playing from distance – no doubt that ice family is still there, on the floor below.

 

Yuzuru looks around. They walk so silent that corridor still is plunged in semi-darkness of their last Korean night.

  
  
“Why this floor feels so empty? Did athletes already go home?”

 

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Zhenya puts her hands up to stretch muscles in her tired back. “Most probably, this floor was prepared for the part of our Olympic Team that stayed in Russia because of… you know. 12th floor is empty too.”

 

“That’s why ice family is there.”

 

“Yep. Misha planned this banquet from the first day we came here. He explored the area looking for place where we gonna make the party by ourselves if this time we have no official banquet…”

 

“…yeah, _you know Misha._ ” they say it in unison and laugh.

 

“Now I feel ashamed for our escape”

 

“Oh stop, we’ll be back soon.” Yuzuru continues smiling, but a little unsure of his words. “Is it?”

 

Zhenya looks around, repeating the recent Yuzuru’s move. The emptiness and darkness of the corridor suddenly feels too familiar; depressive thoughts are back again worse than before.

 

“Imagine how horrible is not to be here… When I missed autumn’s competitions I felt like a beast in a cage. Such a pain to be captured by accidental circumstances and not be able to change it.” She whispers.  
  
“I hate it. I hate just to sit in my room and see how others are practicing and succeeding while I’m feeling useless day by day.”

 

“Our talks helped me a lot, Yuzu,” Zhenya looks at his face trying to find something worth to look in it. “Despite you were across the ocean, I felt no loneliness”

 

“We both required support and you gave me much more than I gave you.” When Zhenya opens her mouth to argue with him, Yuzuru put his hand up. “This is so.”

 

Zhenya pauses, looking into his eyes. Yuzuru becomes more serious than he ever was since they were in the lobby.

 

The same song she heard from the distance plays from the door opened on the stairs. As they reached the south hall noises and music became clearer. They can hear some voices singing to karaoke – it seems, not only sangria went in.

 

“I see,” in Yuzuru’s voice she hears a steel. “You regret, that you gave everything to these Games and gained less than you expected. Just admit that is wasn’t you fault, Medo-chan. You’re always blaming yourself.”  


“I gave all of me and failed. I should not feel sorry for myself. It’s only my fault that I missed the greatest chance in my life.”

 

“Who told you so?”

 

“Most probably it’s my last Olympics despite people are saying. I am not Carolina, I am just one of the champions that Eteri is producing one by one,” she chokes out. “I know I should work harder and I will but… When I’m thinking that I’m gonna compete with such little girl I was once it triggers me too much.”

 

“ _Who told you so?_ Forget what they are saying; forget everything. You’re unique. It is not the last Olympic. Tomorrow it will become the past Olympic, and we’ll going work for a future one.”

 

“Oh my god, why are you like this?” she laughs and Yuzuru smiles seeing her happy. “Such a poet. I’m sorry that you see me like this. This paranoid side of me… o my god…”

 

Zhenya dries her eyes.

 

“What I said about Eteri… Forget it please. She’s like my mother, she raised me, and she’ll never let me down. I am so ungrateful.”

 

“Listen to me,” suddenly Yuzuru reaches for her shoulders. Zhenya stands still immediately looking at him with the gratitude for that gesture. “You did everything right. _If you don’t enter the tiger’s cave, you can’t catch its cub._ You entered, and you succeed. You’re a champion. Everyone needs a rest and I swear you… in next season we’ll be back refreshed, and we’ll show that the age has no power anymore. We’ll break these stupid rules because we’re young and we’re…”

 

“Making a history,” she interrupts with giggle.

 

Yuzuru’s look softens.

 

“Indeed. If I’m a poet, you’re a finished otaku then,” he cracks another smile and hugs her. Zhenya presses her cheek to his chest. Under his black t-shirt she hears the slow but loud sound of his beating heart.

 

“What does it mean? The thing you said about tiger,” Zhenya murmurs, warming up.

 

“Without risk there’s no result, I guess. You know I am not good in English,” the air trembles when he speaks and Zhenya can feel light touch of his breath to her hair. It feels so familiar and warm that she closes her eyes. Yuzuru is not letting her out and they both quietly gasp – Zhenya wants to believe that the part of flame that burn inside her passed to him.

 

“In Russian it would be _“If you're afraid of wolves, don't go to the woods”_. Sounds pretty similar.”

 

“And who are the wolves then?” she barely hears that he’s smiling.

 

_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place —_

 

“Ah? Do you hear it?” Yuzuru lets her go and Zhenya puts the finger up trying to recognize familiar music that hit her soul with the first notes. “What is it?”  
  
Surprised by her sudden move Yuzuru open his mouth. He listens too, and that sort of smile crosses his face when he nods his head in recognition.

 

“Shoma,” he joyfully grins.

 

“It is… It’s Scott and Tessa’s music!” Zhenya looks at the exit on the stairs and then turns to Yuzu.

 

_—  suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace —_

 

Some energy passes between them and Zhenya chokes out the happy gasp. Emotions fill her too much. Heart goes wild when the blurry images of the Games flash through her head. She sees everything from the beginning and every feeling she had during this month flows together.

 

She looks at Yuzuru and realizes that she’s ready to cry. In his eyes Zhenys sees understanding and tenderness.

 

“Yeah, it is,” he answers. “I guess Shoma is playing their Moulin Rouge from Canadian Nationals on the TV in the south hall. Again. Such a fanboy. He’s rewatching it almost every day.”

 

_— suddenly my life doesn´t seem such a waste —_

 

Zhenya laughs. Her face starts to burn for no reason; she wants to say so much but she lets herself imagine this cute picture first. _Oh, Shoma._

 

_— it all revolves around you —_

 

“What?” Yuzuru watches her, smiling. _How is she incredible._

 

_— and there´s no mountain too high, no river too wide —_

  
“Well, I guess that’s why that video has reached 3m views last week. We’re all becoming their fanboys and fangirls when they step on ice.” She says with big smile.

 

_— sing out this song and I´ll be there by your side —_

 

Yuzuru blinks at her. The meaning of her words reaches him in few moments and he starts laughing too. Zhenya claps her hands. The expression of Yuzuru trying to understand what she said reminds her of crushed computer. He’s even more handsome when he’s laughing.

  
  
_— storm clouds may gather —_

 

He opens his eyes and sees Zhenya still laughing; by seeing his face she suddenly stops and freezes with strange expression of surprise and fear at once. Yuzuru unknowingly tilts his head to one shoulder and reaches out his hand.

 

It’s trembling.

 

_— and stars may collide…_

 

His hand lies upon her cheek, the thumb on the cheekbone, his expression clouded and more unreadable than ever.

 

Zhenya forgets how to breath.

 

“Hey, beloved.”

 

The moment vanishes in the blink of one eye. Yuzuru pulls his hand away and turns his face to the sound. Zhenya swallows and turns as well, still shocked by what nearly happened.

 

Misha is watching them from the doorway, his arms folded across his chest with one shoulder leaned into the threshold. There’s a look of amusement and… _pride_ in his eyes.

 

“Misha?!”

 

“You know, my dears, there’s a bunch of people on the floor below? Honestly, you’re playing with fire. Javier and Boyang are dancing to Moulin Rouge, others are watching, some of them was looking for you, so anyone can walk out and see you here like this...”

 

Zhenya’s face burns, but she’s courageously smiles and asks:

 

“So what? We’re just talking.”

  
  
Misha arches his eyebrows so high that they’re in danger of disappearing into his hairline. He gives Yuzuru the conspiracy look and he returns it back a bit grumpy. Without receiving the reaction he attempted Misha winks at Zhenya, but somehow, she stays impassive.

 

Misha always pops up like a jack-in-the-box.

 

But at the same time he had manners.

 

Deep down, Zhenya knows he’ll never interrupt what could happen – _o god, it really could_ \- if he wasn’t worry enough. She steps aside from Yuzuru.

 

“How you get that we’re here?”

 

“Pure intuition. I thought you’d gonna find a place to be alone together and with the aid of my perfect mathematical mind I figured out that you’re on the floor above us. It is always easier to go down than to go up, especially in view of your… your condition,” he looked at Yuzu’s foot.

 

“How dare you.” Zhenya cracks smile. “That’s too ironic even for you.”

 

Misha sighs and raises his hands, showing palms to friends in the gesture of sincerity. By the way Zhenya hears joy in his voice. _Such an actor._

 

“Just saying, but the north hall is empty.”

 

Zhenya freezes, confusedly trying to restrain – _how many times those two guys will make her freeze again?_ – and loses it. Her heart skips a beat.

 

“Миша! Ты что, с ума сошел такое говорить? Какой стыд, ужас... Посмотри, как ты его смутил!”

 

Misha smiles. “Разве?”

 

“Да не смешно! Ты лучше меня знаешь, что он ничего...”

 

“I feel…” Yuzuru finally speaks. Misha and Zhenya looks at him, both surprised.

 

“I feel myself right now like Shoma after our free skate.” Yuzuru jokingly continues his phrase, but all of him screamed how he’s lost. Misha perfectly knows how to effect on every heart strings.

 

He sighs again, motioning down the stairs behind his back with the nod, and lectures:

 

“Oh, my innocent child. You’d better feel like Scott after their free skate.”  


The burning Zhenya’s cheeks becomes absolutely red.

 

 _Oh, come what may_ _—_

 

“Misha! Why?”

 

Yuzuru grinds his teeth and gives Misha a pale grin.

 

“Why you think I do not?”

 

_— come what may —_

 

When he grabs Zhenya’s hand, she flinches of a sudden and looks at his resolve face.

 

_—  I will love you —_

 

“Isshoni nigemashou, Medo-chan.”

 

“Ч-что?”

 

Misha softly presses his head to the threshold, absolutely admired by them. Out of corner of her eye, Zhenya sees his satisfied face. Yuzuru’s palm on her wrist and that look in his eyes feels like something impossible.

 

From the distant she hears applause and the final notes of Moulin rouge mixed with cheering and laughter.

 

The flame in her chest threatens to burn her heart out. 

 

 _— oh, I will love you_ _—_

 

“That’s why, Sis,” Misha whispers, watching how Yuzu is pulling her with him to the side of elevator, in the north hall they recently leaved.

 

Zhenya shakily chuckles. Big smile crosses her face when he turns back to Misha and shakes her head, not believing what he did to him.

 

“What are you doing?” she laughs and returns her look to Yuzu. “Yuzu, what did you say?”

 

“Won’t tell you!”

 

Misha waits until their laughter and silhouettes disappear in the darkness of the north hall and sighs again.

 

He knew, all this time he knew about it and he knows that they both will not be pleased if by the chance everyone will knew about their feelings too, especially earlier than they both do so by themselves.

 

“ _Oh, I will love you,”_ he sings quietly and leaves corridor.

  
  
The floor below explodes with applause.

 

_—  until my dying day._

**Author's Note:**

> some translation
> 
> Russian dialogue of mad Zhenya and Misha:
> 
> "Misha! What are you saying? Are you crazy? It’s embarrassing! Oh, such a shame... See, you embarrassed him!"  
> Misha smiles. “Did I?”  
> “Not funny! You know better than me that he feel no...”  
> “I feel…” Yuzuru finally speaks. Misha and Zhenya looks at him, both surprised.
> 
> Yuzuru's Japanese phrase:
> 
> "Let's get lost together, Medo-chan."  
> "W-what?"


End file.
